


Possibilities

by PrettyPrompto



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Ignis is not having a good time bro, No Good Very Bad Things, Other, Whumptacular
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:25:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22827649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrettyPrompto/pseuds/PrettyPrompto
Summary: After Noctis enters the Crystal Ignis is taken captive by Ardyn.
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

Ignis awoke in the dark, wet and chilled to the bone. His blazer and gloves were missing, as were his spectacles. He wasn't surprised by that. He assumed that he had lost them when he was taken, and though he didn't need them they provided a measure of comfort. Or had. He surmised that the rest was taken to make him as uncomfortable as possible.

The room he was in was small and bare. Made of steel on three walls. The fourth was comprised of a set of bars. A cell then. He'd been able to ascertain that much in the dim light provided by the ceiling fixture. Perhaps it was an old base? He sat with his back to the wall, his bangs hanging over his closed eyes. He knew that many disillusioned people had taken to making their way with unsavory acts as the darkness consumed Eos. He never thought that he would find himself the victim of them. 

Time passed without a sound and he felt the beginnings of hunger. He couldn't be sure how long it had been since he had been brought here. Finally he heard the sound of footsteps and opened his eyes, scrambling to his feet as the door opened. His eyes widened, mouth dropping open as Ardyn smiled pleasantly at him, entering the cell and closing the door behind him.

"Why Ignis, you seem surprised to see me!"

Ignis put his hands out with a snarl, calling on his daggers, then looked down at his empty hands in shock when they failed to summon, blue sparks but a faint whisper. Ardyn's smile turned sinister then and he walked toward Ignis slowly, deliberately drawing out his approach until he towered over the man.

"It would seem you're at a disadvantage." 

Ignis stared up at him, frozen in fear, lips parting to release a soft sound of despair. Ardyn's smile grew as he heard it.

"Where is that fiery defiance now, hm?"

He reached for his face and Ignis lifted his hand immediately to deflect the touch. Then he found his hand caught in an unnaturally strong grip. He glared at him furiously but his anger turned to concern as Ardyn's hand began to tighten on his, then terror as the pain began. Ardyn's smile never left as he slowly crushed his hand. Ignis panicked and began to yank at his arm, screaming in pain and finally dropping to his knees with his arm up over his head, hand mangled in Ardyn's. He slumped onto his ass and shook, trying to lift his head to look at him, then screamed raggedly as Ardyn's large boot came down on his knee, crushing it against the cold steel floor. His eyes bulged and he clawed at the metal surface beneath him in his agony. Adrenaline flooded his veins and he kicked at him angrily with his uninjured leg, lashing out in his pain. The motion sent more pain through him, but it didn't matter. He knew it was pointless-stupid even. More likely to anger his attacker than anything. Ardyn took the blow to his calf without reaction other than a soft sighing. He released his grip on Ignis' hand and watched impassively as his prey slumped and began dragging himself away, choked noises coming with each movement. He followed after him slowly, content to let him wear down. Ignis couldn't help but feel somewhat betrayed, though he knew that was stupid as well. It wasn't logical in his mind. Ardyn wasn't interrogating him. He hadn't asked for anything. He was just hurting him and he'd never been prepared for such a thing. He knew it was possible but such outright maliciousness hadn't been part of his education.  
  
Ardyn followed Ignis until he stopped moving, then he knelt down next to him and reached out, snagging his head in a vice grip. He pulled him up, his tone soft, almost gentle as he spoke to him.

"I know it hurts, but I can't very well have you running around now can I?"

He reached for his left hand and Ignis cried out.

"No! No!"

He was ignored and he cried out in wild fear as he felt the hand closing around the delicate digits, bones snapping like twigs. Ignis shrieked and bucked, mindless in his agony. His eyes rolled up as Ardyn released him and fluttered, his vision blackening at the edges. He could hear footsteps around him and his own labored breathing though both sounds were muffled by his blood pounding in his ears. He cried out as he felt Ardyn's hands on him but he could do nothing to prevent him from hurting him again if he chose to. He was confused then as Ardyn rolled him onto his back and his glassy eyes drifted over the man's face, watching his businesslike expression as his arms were folded across his stomach. Ignis gasped as he was lifted, his head hanging as he was carried a short distance before being laid down again, the icy metal floor now padded. He didn't understand why the man would provide such a thing after what he'd done to him. Truly he had trouble even thinking with the amount of pain he was in. He waited for questions. Or perhaps simply to be killed, but was left with neither of those things. Ignis turned his head weakly toward the door as he heard it opening and his eyes widened with the realization that Ardyn was leaving. He cried out wordlessly and reached toward the door, his cries louder as his mangled hand shook. Ardyn never paused, shutting the door behind him and walking away. 


	2. Chapter 2

Ardyn stared down at Ignis' face, waxen, damp with sweat. His eyes softened minutely as he watched him struggle. He knew that it was agonizing, both body and mind. He could see that the boy had grown weak from the shock. Perhaps infection. He was near death even now. A part of him, buried deep and long denied, wished to allow him that escape. He knelt next to him, tilting his head as he watched the young man gasp and tremble, soft cries escaping his dry, quivering lips. Ignis' eyes widened a fraction as he became aware even in his delirium that Ardyn was there.

His chest felt heavy and he knew that he was reaching the end. He welcomed it, beyond his limit of endurance mentally as well as physically. He wondered haphazardly if the others would ever know what had happened to him. He thought that perhaps it would be better for them if they didn't. He certainly didn't want them burdened by such things. He was vaguely aware when he began to seize, his teeth clenched tightly against the tremors. He fell still and breathed out a name, unaware that he did it. "Noct.."

Ardyn's eyes widened and were drawn to Ignis' ruined hands, blue sparks flashing sporadically in his palms.

"Fascinating.." He murmured. He supposed that it was an instinctive act for the young man to reach out to the magics that bound him in his death throes. He reached out to him then, cupping his cheek and stroking it with his thumb gently, as if to comfort him in his last moments. Then his face grew darker, expression twisting as he drew a Potion vial from his coat. The liquid inside was a strange blue-black. He crushed it none too gently against Ignis' chest, making him cry out. 

Ignis slowly began to breathe more evenly, recovering a measure of strength from the foreign item. As his mind began to clear his eyes shifted to the man at his side and he let out a weak sob, tears welling up and trailing down his face. Ardyn's voice came on it's heels.

"We're just getting started my boy."

Ignis was helpless as Ardyn administered a sickly Remedy, then left him again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get worse.

Ignis slowly regained strength as his leg and hands healed but as they did he lost heart. The bones were not set and as they fused into place he agonized over what that meant for him. No walking. No fighting. It was constantly on his mind. 

And Ardyn's words didn't bode well for his immediate future. He found out what that future entailed just a few days later. 

The man entered his cell with a cheerful call. "Well aren't you looking spry!" Ignis was silent, watching him with a neutral gaze as he came nearer. He smiled slowly, meeting the young man's eyes and when he spoke again it came without the exuberance his greeting had held.

"Curious that the Crystal would grant you such a gift. I was under the impression that a price was due." His voice grew harsher and Ignis' eyes widened, roaming over the man's face as a cold weight settled into his chest.

He continued, his tone growing more vicious with each word. "And yet you were given a second chance. How very fortunate for you." Ignis replied as calmly as possible. "It was Noctis who spoke on my behalf. I was healed only because it was his wish." Ardyn's expression twisted some and he waved a hand almost impatiently. "Ah yes, the little king. It was rather gallant of him to rush to your aid was it not?"

Ignis responded in the same calm manner. "A King cares for his people." He flinched and blinked as Ardyn's voice cut through the cell like the blades of his Armiger.

"I took care of my people!" He warped to Ignis and dropped down to crouch before him, leaning forward, his yellow eyes glaring into his green. 

Ignis jerked in fright, turning his head and gasping for air as his heartbeat sped. The daemonic man chuckled darkly and reached for his chin, grasping it gently, as if made of glass. He tried to coax him to turn back. "Look at me boy." He waited a moment and when Ignis failed to comply he tightened his hold painfully and wrenched his head back to face him.

Ignis cried out and half raised his arms over his chest to defend himself, drawing Ardyn's attention. He looked down at Ignis' rigid hands and tsked, something like regret flashing in his expression before he raised his view to Ignis' wide eyes.

He released his hold on his face and instead brushed his greasy bangs out of his face to get a better look. Ignis blinked, uneasy as Ardyn spoke. "Remarkable. I have never seen eyes so green in all my existence. Pity."

A second passed before Ignis threw himself to the side, Ardyn's palm smacking into the wall where his head had been. He began to crawl frantically, ignoring the pain that lanced through his arms, fueled by the adrenaline of terror. He yelled out as an iron band clamped around his left calf and he was dragged backwards. Then he was pulled up by his neck and he screamed as the immortal's glowing hand descended over his eyes, growing into a shriek as his face burned with the dark magic. He thrashed wildly, trapped by unnatural strength, wailing as his vision was seared away.

Ardyn's voice came loudly, spoken as if Ignis was a silly child. "Oh now, I am merely making an honest man of you!" Ignis' pained scream shifted into a roar, half of it rage and then he was released abruptly to slam into the metal floor of the cell. He dissolved into whimpers and writhing, rolling onto his back and lifting his useless hands to his face, pawing frantically with the heels of his palms. He kicked his good leg, his only real outlet for his agony. Slowly the pain died away and he grew still, chest heaving. He trembled as he lowered his hands, eyes darting beneath his lids. He slowly opened his eyes and moaned his grief as he was met with blackness. Ardyn approached slowly and knelt down, peering into his empty eyes, silvered over and flooding with tears. "Beautiful." He rose to his feet and strolled to the door, smiling serenely as Ignis began to scream again. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And worse.

Ignis' suffering grew more terrible day by day, exacerbated by his willfulness. His refusal to eat was at first understandable considering that he couldn't possibly perform the task. The cursed man had known that it would be a difficult situation, what with his torturing him, but he had hoped that Ignis would see sense, even if he could see nothing else.

"Get away from me fiend!"

Ardyn sighed sadly, watching the starving thing struggling to pull himself across the floor to escape him. He looked to the bowl of soup in his hand and then back to Ignis who was now hunched in what seemed to be his favored corner. "Now you mustn't be that way! I made it just for you!" He walked toward him, tilting his head as he examined his prey.

Ignis bared his teeth in a particularly hateful manner and spoke, tone both fiery and cold. "Fuck you." 

Ardyn stopped short, eyebrows raised. "My! I didn't think that you had such a mouth!" He set the bowl on the floor with a heavy hand and smiled at the way Ignis reacted to the sound of china on metal, empty gaze flickering uneasily. He stepped forward, boots thudding loudly, his next words coming low and lilting, making them all the more frightening. "We will have to see what we can do about that.."

Ignis immediately shrank back to press himself tightly against the wall, his eyes darting as he listened to Ardyn get closer and closer until the steps stopped before him. Ignis was trembling now and he hated it, hated the weakness of his fear. He hated himself for allowing this to happen to him. Hated Ardyn for doing it. He grasped to that hatred and welcomed the resulting fire in his chest. Ardyn narrowed his eyes as Ignis stopped trembling and laughed at him. "What will you do? Hit me? It is no surprise that you have no honor if you would make sport of beating the blind!" 

Ardyn dropped into a crouch then, his eyes gone yellow and he reached out to wrap long fingers around his throat, wrenching him up as he stood again. His hand began to glow faintly and he purred out in a low voice. "Oh no...no need for excessive violence.." 

Ignis gasped, his eyes widening as he felt the energy crackling in his throat and he tried to speak again, lips parting. As they did Ardyn grasped his chin and ran his thumb over his bottom lip before tightening the hand around his neck. 

Ignis moaned in terror, then more loudly in pain as his vocal cords were razed slowly by the dark light of Ardyn's corruption. His breathing sped frantically as the pained sound of his voice slowly died away and ceased to exist. 

A dark chuckle sent tears rolling down his face. He could feel something hot roiling passed his lips as he was lowered to the floor and released. Heavy footfalls and the sound of china on metal. The wisp of clothing and the creak of leather before a painful grip wrapped around his bicep and yanked him into his tormentor's lap. He began to shake as his hair was petted and tucked out of his face, Ardyn's words a declaration. 

"Now you will eat." A spoon was pressed to his lips, prodding gently. 

Ignis ate. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And even worse.

Days passed by without Ardyn's presence yet Ignis flinched at nearly every sound he heard. He knew he was losing his mind. He wasn't surprised by it. It was only natural after all he had been through. He wasn't stupid, Ardyn couldn't torture his intelligence away. He barked out a silent laugh, which he took as further proof of his impending insanity. 

He knew that wasn't really true. Not completely. He could tell that his mind was growing erratic. His thought process was fracturing under the weight of Ardyn's abuse. The nature of his injuries had left him with nothing but his thoughts and even he couldn't take that constantly. Not without something to break it up and distract him. He had no choice however and the longer he was trapped in his head the darker his thoughts became.

He had to do something. 

He pulled himself up to sit, though it was very difficult and painful, and he took a deep breath. He let it out, desperately trying to produce sound of any kind. He was only able to hear a faint rasp, the sound mostly the air and it sent him over the edge. He began to sob silently, then began thrashing his rage, fear, despair against the floor of his cell.

Then Ardyn's voice rang out loudly, along with the sound of his cell door opening.

"Now, now! You are going to hurt yourself!"

The man sighed pleasantly and chuckled as Ignis went still, his unseeing eyes wide, his lips parted. He walked into the cell and Ignis dragged himself away from the sound of his approach, moving faster as Ardyn sped up. As the footsteps came to a halt Ignis began to tremble and shake his head, then jerked as Ardyn reached down to grab his bicep and pull him up onto his good leg.

Ardyn stared at Ignis' pale face, watching the way his silver-sage eyes darted in fright. Then he spoke gently.

"You have suffered beautifully for your king, Ignis. However, now it is time to go home to your friends."

Ignis' lips moved, as if to ask him why and Ardyn responded to it.

"Hurting you hurts Noctis. It is not personal Ignis. Well…your eyes perhaps…"

Ignis closed his eyes, shaking his head desperately until Ardyn's hand clamped over his left ear, his voice gone sinister.

"One last thing my boy. I wouldn't want the cries of pity to grow too loud for you."

Ignis screamed silently as the man's daemonic power seared his eardrum, the agony so great he bucked and lashed out, throwing his weight at him. 

Ardyn's eyes widened in surprise and he caught Ignis around the waist, holding him at arms length, letting him struggle until he wore himself out and hung limp.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignis goes home at last

"Get out of my way!" Gladio shouted at the young men hanging around outside of the Leville, which was a makeshift hospital at this point. They moved and he dashed into the building, followed by a frantic Prompto. He went to the front desk and the man tending it immediately recognized the two retainers. He spoke up before Gladio could ask questions.

"He was found outside earlier this morning. He's…bad." 

Gladio and Prompto shared a look, then followed the man as he headed up the stairs to one of the rooms.

They went inside and Prompto choked at seeing the obvious signs of the torture Ignis had been through. He headed to the bed, tears welling up as Ignis' blank gaze shifted nervously.

"Iggy..it's me, Prompto. Gladio is here too.."

Ignis' head shifted slightly but of course he didn't speak.

Gladio approached, his deep, rumbling voice surprisingly gentle. "Ignis, do you know who did this to you?" 

Initially, he didn't react to the question, no movement. Then slowly he lifted his head a bit and moved his lips. It only took a moment before Prompto's expression turned bleak and he murmured to Gladio. "He can't talk.." 

Gladio's face shifted from concern to pity and then blank before he remembered that Ignis couldn't have seen his expression anyway.

He knew though. Ignis always seemed to know everything. His lips twisted into a silent snarl and he jerked his right hand in anger. He lifted his mangled hand and waved it before his lips, eyes and then his left ear.

"Six.." Gladio breathed, sure that he understood what Ignis meant by the gestures.

Tears welled in Ignis' eyes and trailed down his cheeks as he turned his upper body away. Moments later flame sprouted in his hand and he waved his arm slowly, his eyes barely able to detect the light.

Prompto watched him closely and then came to his side, reaching out to place his hand on his wrist. He spoke to him gently. "Don't. I'll take care of you Iggy, I promise."

The flames died away, along with Ignis' intentions.

===========  
3 Years Later  
===========

"Ignis! You asshole, I thought you meant shallot." Prompto placed the purple bulb back into the refrigerator and retrieved an onion from the cupboard. He began to chop it up, a small pot bubbling on the stove. It had taken time before Ignis would allow Prompto to use his recipe book but after the man had tried to burn it they reached a compromise.

Ignis waved his stiff hand in Prompto's direction and hissed at him, making the blond laugh.

"Fuck you too."

A barely audible grunt came next and the answer to the strange question. "Gladio's gonna be gone a bit longer dude. Earning some Gil. He said he found some Ebony for you though." Prompto grinned at the rasping hum that Ignis responded with and nodded. "Yeah, thought you'd like that." He looked over at him, sitting at the kitchen table and watched him. Over time he had learned how to communicate with Ignis, the man's language now limited to gestures and vague sounds. He still got things wrong but as Ignis recovered a small fraction of his voice it became easier. He used his voice now, telling him off for staring.

"S-sssp."

Prompto chuckled. "Sorry, just checking on you. That's not how you say that you know." He teased him. Ignis responded by summoning a Mage Masher, which clattered to the table and vanished as he pointed to Prompto with a crooked finger.

Prompto grinned and asked. "Ready to eat?" When Ignis nodded he turned the burner off and ladled out some of the soup, then came to Ignis and sat down to feed him and himself. They often ate from the same plate or bowl. It was easier that way. Once Ignis was fed Prompto picked him up and put him over his shoulder, taking him up the stairs to get him cleaned up. After, he tucked him into the bed they shared and stroked his hair and cheek until he fell asleep.

And so the retainers of the king carried on, awaiting his return.

The End


End file.
